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Remotely controllable golf cart and method for steering a cart

Remotely controllable golf cart and method for steering a cart description/claims

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/963,986 filed on Aug. 7, 2007.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for carrying a golf bag, particularly such an apparatus that is movable on wheels and is operable by remote control, and to a method for steering such a cart.

It is desirable for a golfer to have an apparatus that can carry his or her golf bag on wheels over the terrain of a golf course so that the bag and its contents are conveniently available for use by the golfer throughout his or her movement about the course. For many years golf bags were carried by the golfer or his caddy, and were typically equipped with a shoulder strap for that purpose. Then, golf bag carts (also referred to as a golf bag carriers, golf carts, or, simply, carts) were developed for carrying the bag on an apparatus that included a frame for holding the bag in place. The frames typically have two wheels connected to it for easing the movement of the cart, and typically also have a handle enabling the operator of the cart to push or pull as well as steer the cart. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,957 issued to Meiklejohn on Jun. 29, 1965.)

Later, a cart drive motor was added. These carts typically have a frame shaped (while in their operational configuration which, for those carts that are foldable, is their unfolded configuration) substantially like a tricycle with two wheels at one end that are spaced apart presumably enough for the cart to be laterally stable during normal use. These two spaced-apart wheels are deemed to be the rear wheels based upon the directional convention that appears most commonly used. And, generally, another wheel (or pair of wheels that are very close to one another) is located at or near the other (narrow) end of the tricycle shape. Thus, this other wheel (or pair of wheels) are deemed to be the front wheel(s) based upon the same directional convention. (The motor on some carts appears intended only to assist an operator pull or push the cart rather than to move the cart on its own, so those carts sometimes provide only a foot—rest—support in place of a front wheel.) Generally speaking, each of the rear wheels and the front wheel(s) (or, front foot) is connected to a leg, with the legs typically coming together to form the apex of a tripod at some intermediate distance up the front leg. And, typically the front leg serves as a golf bag support leg and is usually inclined (sloped) away from the vertical—placing the bottom portion of the front leg forward of its top portion. In such carts, the front leg typically is equipped with golf bag holders (such as cradle-and-strap assemblies) for securing the bag to the front leg. Each of the rear legs generally extends downward (and usually outward and rearward) from the apex, to complete the tripod. Frequently, a separate handle arm is foldably connected to the upper end of the front leg. This arm, if unfolded, effectively extends the length of the front leg in an upward and rearward direction to end in a handle. Also, generally, drive wheels are rear wheels and non-drive wheels are front wheels. But, there also have been disclosures that instead designate one or two front wheel(s) as the drive wheel(s).

These powered carts usually have the drive motor operably coupled (for example via one or more gears—generally in a gearbox—and/or a drive chain/belt) to at least one drive wheel (a wheel powered by the drive motor for moving the cart forward and/or backward). (Sometimes a cart that has two drive wheels operates with each drive wheel powered independently of the other, by its own dedicated drive motor.) The power source for the cart, thus for its drive motor, is typically an electric battery such as a 12 volt battery (although sometimes use is made of a battery having more voltage, such as 24-36 volts). The cart battery is carried in a battery holder typically located, at least in part, within the area defined by the locations of the wheels and/or slightly behind the drive-wheel axle centerline.

And, these powered carts typically provide for the cart battery to be electrically connected to the drive motor(s) through circuitry that is conventionally employed to enable delivery of an appropriate level of electric power (combination of volts and current) from the cart battery to the drive motor(s) for the motor(s) to operate within design specifications. And, they typically provide a means for a cart operator to control the on/off switching (i.e., energizing/de-energizing) or the varying of such electric power to the drive motor(s). For example, they generally provide the operator with the ability to exercise such control by activating at least one operator input device, which typically is located on the cart's handle. It appears the operator input devices are normally connected to the cart battery (or to a separate, usually smaller-voltage, battery) through circuitry that is conventionally employed to enable delivery of an appropriate level of electric power from the cart battery (or smaller battery) to the operator input device, for it to operate within design specifications. The operator input device is typically in electrical communication with an electrical control device (such as a relay, potentiometer, rheostat, electric motor power and/or speed regulator, electric motor drive, or electric motor controller) that, in response to an electrical communication (wired or wireless signal) from the operator input device, effects the response “commanded” by the operator's activation of the operator input device (e.g., the operator's direction to close/open the circuit between the cart battery and the drive motor to turn the motor on/off, or vary the level of electric power delivered over that circuit to vary the motor's speed). Such conventional circuitry appears to be very well understood and in common use today, as is indicated by numerous commercially available carts advertised as having their drive wheel(s) driven by a battery powered electric motor that is manually controllable through manipulation of an operator input device for on-off and/or speed-control commands. These operator input devices are typically in the form of one or more pushbutton, toggle, and/or rocker switches and/or a dial-type potentiometer or rheostat mounted on or in the vicinity of the cart's handle. Examples of such manually controllable battery powered carts are: the “Explorer” from Bag Boy Co. of Richmond, Va.; the “Compact Plus” and the “Hi-Lite” from Hill Billy Powered Golf Trolley Ltd. of Sittingbourne, Kent, England; the “TS-1” from Lectronic Kaddy Corp. of Ontario, Canada; and, the “PowaKaddy” from PowaKaddy International Ltd. of Sittingbourne, Kent, England. (Also, see the following examples of patent document disclosures of battery powered carts: U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,324 issued to Nemeth on Sep. 15, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,100 issued to Lewis on Apr. 14, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,635 issued to Kiffe on Nov. 10, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,894 issued to Wang on Jun. 18, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,470 issued to Andreae, Jr., et al. on Aug. 21, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,518 issued to Wu on Nov. 19, 2002 (front drive wheel with drive motor and gearbox held by wheel holder fastened to front end of cart's front leg); design U.S. Pat. No. 280,943 issued to Catford on Oct. 8, 1985; and U.K. patent application publication numbers GB2,215,291 by Catford published on Sep. 20, 1989; GB2,269,792 by Catford published on Feb. 23, 1994 (rear drive wheels on coaxial shafts turned by a central gearbox with worm gearing); and, GB2,322,686 by Catford published on Sep. 2, 1998.)

Other ideas have been presented wherein the cart is controllable by a separate remote transmitting device (also referred to as a transmitter, remote transmitter, remote control box, remote controller, or, simply, remote control), with at least one operator-input device (also discussed above) located onboard the remote control and capable, when activated, of causing the remote control to generate a wireless command signal (a wireless signal with a signature, such as one having predetermined characteristics—which characteristics may take many different forms including such forms as transmission frequencies, amplitudes, pulses, sequences, patterns or any combination thereof) to represent a command to turn a drive motor or steering motor (or wheel pivoting solenoid) on or off or to change the cart's speed. (Sometimes, remotely controllable carts have some or all of the same operator input devices on both the remote control and the handle, to retain the option of manual operation of the cart.)

Remotely controllable carts are described as also having an on-board wireless signal receiver (usually referred to simply as receiver) with a sensor that is compatible with the type of wireless signal the remote control transmits. The remote control and receiver combinations used for carts have been described, for example, as ones that transmit and receive in the radio or infrared frequency ranges, so the receiver in those combinations typically include a sensor such as a radio antenna or infrared sensor. Of course the receivers used would be ones that are compatible with the remote control so that they are capable of sensing the particular wireless command signal transmitted and responding by generating an appropriate electrical control signal for transmission (by wire or wirelessly) to an electrical control device (also discussed above). In response to receiving the electrical control signal, the electrical control device on those carts effects the command represented by that electrical control signal—e.g., by opening, closing, or modifying the power transmitted by an electrical circuit that connects the cart battery to a drive motor or a steering motor (or wheel pivoting solenoid).

Steering motors have been described as a single steering motor that pivots a non-drive wheel, and as a pair of independently activated drive motors each of which can serve as a steering motor by being selectively de-energized—e.g., allowing the cart to be turned by the wheel connected to the other (still energized) drive motor. And, a pair of horizontally disposed wheel pivoting solenoids have been employed for steering a rear-located non-drive wheel (or pair of wheels) of a cart having two widely spaced apart electric powered front drive wheels (in effect, the frame is a reversed tricycle frame—referred to here as reversed since it designates the two widely spaced apart wheels as being the front wheels rather than the rear wheels). Such steering is said to be accomplished by having each solenoid connected at one end to the cart frame and at the other end, via an axially extended arm, to a side of the non-drive wheel, and selectively energizing one or the other wheel pivoting solenoid (to retract its arm on that side) and thereby pivot the front wheel. (It is also noted that a motor may be substituted for each of the wheel pivoting solenoids—or a single two-directional motor for both of the wheel pivoting solenoids.)

Typically, the remote control includes separate operator-input devices for operating the drive motor and for steering the cart. Thus, the operator can activate one operator-input device to cause the remote control to transmit a wireless command signal that is a drive signal or activate another operator-input device to cause the remote control to transmit a wireless command signal that is a steering signal. A steering signal is similar to a drive signal, but represents a command for the receiver to respond by sending an electrical control signal to an electrical control device for a steering motor (or wheel pivoting solenoid) to steer the cart right or left, rather than to an electrical control device for a drive motor to move the cart forward or backward. (The electrical control device for a steering motor and the electrical control device for a drive motor may be a single electrical control device, if the device is able to discriminate between steering signals and drive signals and direct them properly. An example of this being, where steering is achieved by directing a drive signal to only one drive wheel when steering is desired but to both drive wheels when straight-ahead movement is desired.) An electrical control device for a steering motor (or wheel pivoting solenoid) can be as simple as a relay for opening or closing an electric circuit that provides the cart's battery power to the steering motor (or wheel pivoting solenoid).

The circuitry for operation of a remote control and an associated receiver and the communication of commanded signals to electrical control devices on the cart to control at least one drive motor and at least one steering motor (or wheel pivoting solenoid), is well understood and in common use today. The widespread application of such circuitry for this purpose is indicated by numerous commercially available electric carts being offered and used as remotely controllable golf bag carts. Examples of such remotely controllable electric carts are: the “Navigator” from Bag Boy Co. of Richmond, Va.; the “Dyna Steer” from Lectronic Kaddy Corp. of Ontario, Canada; the “Hillcrest SE” (or the “CaddieCommand” remote radio-guided steering system accessory, with all the components needed for converting the “Hillcrest AB”—a powered, but not remotely controllable, cart—into a remotely controllable cart) from Kangaroo Motorcaddies of Columbus, N.C.; and, the “RoboKaddy” from PowaKaddy International Ltd. of Sittingbourne, Kent, England. (Also see the following examples of patent document disclosures of carts that are battery powered and remotely controllable: U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,623 issued to Meek on Oct. 21, 1969 (shown on a reversed tricycle frame—with a pair of horizontally disposed wheel pivoting solenoids connected to either side of the non-drive rear steering wheel for pivoting it by alternate actuation of each solenoid, and noting that one or two electric motors may be substituted for the wheel pivoting solenoids); U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,507 issued to Pirre on Jun. 26, 1973 (front wheel pivotable by steer motor); U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,103 issued to Cartmell on Aug. 11, 1992 (front wheel pivotable by steering motor with worm gear); U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,389 issued to Reimers on Dec. 1, 1992 (cart steerable by independent operation of rear drive wheels, each powered by a separate drive motor); U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,023 issued to Reimers on Jan. 19, 1993 (cart steerable similar to preceding Reimers patent); and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,686 issued to Machen on Nov. 30, 1993 (front wheel pivotable by steering motor turning another wheel that engages a platform connected to front wheel fender).)

Some of the above-noted carts, particularly remotely controlled models, are provided with a stabilizing rear wheel on an arm that is, or can be, extended rearwardly (generally along the cart's centerline), apparently dedicated solely to help prevent the cart from tipping over backward while climbing sloped terrain.

It is believed that the present invention, which is described below, provides advantages that help make it possible to reduce the cost and improve the stability and controllability over previously known remotely controllable carts.

As used throughout this specification, unless clearly indicated otherwise, the following terms have the definitions referred to or specified in this paragraph. Terms of direction, relative time, relative position, angular position, orientation, and shape are not intended to be limited to the exact direction, relative time, relative position, angular position, orientation, or shape referred to but are intended to be inclusive of approximations and substantial similarities to those directions, relative times, relative positions, angular positions, orientations, and shapes. The term “described or shown” is intended to include “described and shown.” The term “such as” is intended to suggest an example, without limitation to only that example. References to a thing being “within” something else are intended as references to the thing being at least partly within the something else. References to a thing moving “through” something else are intended as references to at least part of the thing moving through at least part of the something else. References to a thing occurring “while” something else occurs are not intended as a requirement that the thing be occurring for the entire time the something else occurs. The term “herein” is intended to include the drawings as well as the other sections of this specification (including the claims).

The present invention relates to an electric powered remotely controllable cart for carrying one or more golf bags wherein the cart has front-wheel drive and rear-wheel steering. It also relates to a method of steering a cart. (Although, this is not intended to limit the potential applications of the invention since it is also adaptable for use on other types of vehicles or for carrying other items).

According to one aspect of the invention, the cart comprises a frame having a front end and a rear end. It includes a drive wheel assembly and a steerable wheel assembly.

The drive wheel assembly is located at or near the front end. The drive wheel assembly comprises a drive wheel (preferably two of them) connected to a drive axle. It also comprises a housed drive coupling device, and a drive motor. (The housed drive coupling device can be a drive gearbox having a set of drive gears therein, or any other coupling mechanism that is suitable for communicating torque from the drive motor directly, or through an intermediary structure such as an axle, a clutch, and/or a transmission, to the drive wheel.) The drive motor is operably connected to the drive coupling device and the drive coupling device is operably connected to a drive axle for rotating the drive axle, and thus the drive wheel (typically at a much slower rotational speed than the rotational speed of the drive motor). The drive motor can be any electric motor capable of generating—while the motor is electrically energized by a cart power supply (e.g., a cart battery)—a torque and rotational speed deemed needed for moving the cart forward under predetermined load and terrain conditions. Preferably, the electrical connection to the cart power supply is via an electrical control device that enables operator control over the motor (also referred to herein as an electric motor control device) by manipulation of one or more operator input devices.

The steerable wheel assembly is located rearward from the location(s) of the drive wheel(s). (Preferably there are two steerable wheel assemblies, each substantially the mirror image of the other, with the location of each being rearward and laterally outward—one on the left and one on the right—from the location(s) of the drive wheel(s).) The steerable wheel assembly comprises a cart steering wheel, such as a rear wheel on the embodiments shown herein; and, a steering wheel support, such as a rear wheel support on the embodiments shown herein, rotatably connected to the steering wheel, preferably by connecting to the steering wheel's axle on each side of the steering wheel.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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